Earnest, occasionally angry music by straight white men? Sounds like a punk band Mark likes.

And so it is, as this week we talk about the gruffest men on earth, Hot Water Music. Ostensible a punk band, their throaty yelling and cathartic choruses have had a huge influence on so many punk bands over the course of the past 15 years. Alternately called things like gruff punk, or beard core, or even gravel core, all of these ridiculous pseudo-genres bring to mind men with beards and plaid shirts. Which is entirely accurate, really.

Formed in 1993, they’re celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and have been a hugely inspiration band for punks all around the world. This week Mark picks their fifth album ‘Caution’. Not a fan favourite, and definitely their “most well known” release, it’s their second release for Epitaph, and marks p ...